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Bonaparte's Gull taken by Dan Mitchell in the Salmon River Esturary, Lincoln County, Oregon on 11/27/2007.

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Great Egret taken by Dan Mitchell in Tigard, Oregon on 10/28/2007.

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House Sparrow taken by Dan Mitchell in our backyard in Tigard, Oregon on 5/15/2017.

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American Coot taken by Dan Mitchell in Chiloquin, Oregon on 4/12/2017.

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Western Bluebird taken by Dan Mitchell in Chiloquin, Oregon on 4/15/2017.

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/photos/13614-western-tanager-western-tanager-taken-by-dan-mitchell-in-our-backyard-in-tigard-oregon-on-4-23/details
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Western Tanager taken by Dan Mitchell in our backyard in Tigard, Oregon on 4/23/2017.

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/photos/13598-northern-pintail-northern-pintail-taken-by-dan-mitchell-at-the-moat-around-the-phoenix-zoo-on-/details
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Northern Pintail taken by Dan Mitchell at the moat around the Phoenix Zoo on 1-29-2006.

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/photos/13594-western-wood-pewee-western-wood-pewee-taken-by-dan-mitchell-in-libby-montana-on-7-7-2008-nesti/details
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Western Wood-Pewee taken by Dan Mitchell in Libby Montana on 7/7/2008.

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/photos/13593-great-blue-heron-great-blue-heron-taken-by-dan-mitchell-on-5-16-2009-in-beaverton-oregon-flyin/details
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Great Blue Heron taken by Dan Mitchell on 5/16/2009 in Beaverton, Oregon.

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/photos/13592-white-crowned-sparrow-white-crowned-sparrow-taken-by-dan-mitchell-in-maricopa-county-on-1-30-2/details
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White-crowned Sparrow taken by Dan Mitchell in Maricopa County on 1/30/2006.

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/photos/13579-european-starling-european-starling-taken-by-dan-mitchell-in-our-backyard-in-tigard-oregon-on-/details
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European Starling taken by Dan Mitchell in our backyard in Tigard, Oregon on 2/9/2014.

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/photos/13562-american-coot-american-coot-chick-taken-june-19-2016-at-baskett-sough-national-wildlife-refuge/details
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American Coot chick taken June 19, 2016 at Baskett Sough National Wildlife Refuge, OR

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/photos/13558-song-sparrow-song-sparrow-taken-by-dan-mitchell-in-our-backyard-in-tigard-oregon-on-5-27-2016-/details
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Song Sparrow taken by Dan Mitchell in our backyard in Tigard, Oregon on 5/27/2016.

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/photos/13557-presumed-first-summer-female-heto-heres-a-slight-different-angle-of-the-same-presumed-first-su/details
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Here's a slight different angle of the same presumed first-summer female Hermit X Townsend's hybrid. The black on the crown, dark in the auriculars and slight amount of yellow on the breast (below the throat) all point to this bird being a hybrid.

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This was the most challenging bird that we saw in the Mt. Hood National Forest along Skyline Road (F.S. 42) on 4 July 2016. The combination of dark auriculars and some yellow feathering on the upper breast suggest that this is a first-summer female Hermit X Townsend's hybrid.

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/photos/13553-atypical-adult-male-hermit-warbler-this-is-probably-the-best-angle-for-showing-the-bibbed-effe/details
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This is probably the best angle for showing the bibbed effect of the black on this male Hermit Warbler's throat and upper breast. I've not previously seen a Hermit with such extensive black on the throat and breast, or so much streaking on the flanks. Again, note the amount of black feathering in the yellow on the face.

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This adult male Hermit Warbler displayed some atypical characteristics. Most notable was how the black throat patch extended well down onto the upper breast and flared out to the sides creating a very bibbed look. Also note how there are black feathers scattered throughout the yellow face and the grayish wash and blackish streaking along the flanks. While this could be a hybrid, it doesn't seem to show some of the expected characteristics that would suggest Townsend's Warbler introgression.

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Here's another angle of the bird in the previous image. Note the fairly extensive streaking along the flanks and the black feathers interspersed in the yellow face. The black on the nape and hind crown extended over onto the forecrown on this bird.

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Here is the same bird from an angle that better shows how dark the back and wings were.

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In terms of head and throat pattern, this Hermit Warbler is pretty typical for an after second-year male. That said, the mantle and wings of this bird were as black as I've ever seen. The yellow on the head is clean and unmarked by dark feathers. The throat patch is constrained with little bib effect and the flanks are clean whitish with essentially no streaking.

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/photos/13548-adult-male-hermit-warbler-heres-a-third-angle-of-the-same-adult-male-hermit-warbler-again-note/details
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Here's a third angle of the same adult male Hermit Warbler. Again note how black this bird is on the mantle and the wings and the absence of any dark feathering on the yellow face and head and absence of any obvious flank streaking.

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/photos/13547-first-summer-male-hermit-warbler-heres-a-final-shot-of-the-first-summer-male-hermit-warbler-no/details
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Here's a final shot of the first-summer male Hermit Warbler. Note the absence of flank streaking and the lack of any black feathers interspersed in the yellow face.

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/photos/13546-first-summer-male-hermit-warbler-heres-a-dorsal-view-of-the-first-summer-male-hermit-warbler-t/details
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Here's a dorsal view of the first-summer male Hermit Warbler. The back is paler and grayer than that of a after second-year bird.

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The shading on the face better shows the dark in the auriculars and you can also see the yellow below the throat patch from this angle .

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This is a first-summer (second-year) male Hermit Warbler. Its back and wings were much paler and grayer overall and the throat patch is slightly reduced. If you look closely you can see the brownish alula feather at the shoulder, which helps age this bird.

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With a quick glance this bird could easily be passed off as a Hermit Warbler, but if you look close you can see yellow below the black on the throat and some streaking along the flanks. This lighting in this shot is less than ideal, somewhat obscuring the darker auriculars, but you can see a bit of dark under the eye on this bird.

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/photos/13542-heto-presumed-first-year-male-hermit-warbler-x-townsends-warbler-hybrid-this-shot-best-shows-t/details
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Presumed first-year male Hermit Warbler X Townsend's Warbler hybrid. This shot best shows the yellow on the breast and the fine points of the face pattern. Note the rather conspicuous dark auricular patch and the streaking on the upper flanks.

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/photos/13540-hermit-warbler-x-townsends-warbler-heto-this-hermit-warbler-x-townsends-warbler-hybrid-is-a-pr/details
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This Hermit Warbler X Townsend's Warbler hybrid is a presumed first summer male. It shows the tell-tale yellow below the mottle black throat patch, which is not shown by a pure Hermit. The next four images are all of the same bird.

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/photos/13538-which-dowitcher-this-individual-is-a-poster-child-for-not-using-bill-length-to-id-dowitchers-t/details
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This individual is a poster child for not using bill length to ID dowitchers. The bill of this bird looks short to me and this bird was photographed at Trestle Bay in Fort Stevens S.P. (Clatsop Co., Oregon) at a time when northbound Short-billed Dowitchers outnumber Long-billed Dowitchers along the Oregon coast. If not for seeing this bird on the ground and hearing it call, I would have thought this was a Short-billed Dowitcher, but it is a Long-billed.

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/photos/13537-which-plover-this-is-a-classic-fooler-birders-commonly-misidentify-birds-of-this-appearance-as/details
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This is a classic "fooler." Birders commonly misidentify birds of this appearance as golden-plovers due to the amount of brown on the back, nape and crown, but this is in fact a transitioning Black-bellied Plover. This bird was photographed on Clatsop Beach 23 April 2016. Within a few weeks this bird will loose the brown feathering on the crown nape and back and look more like the bird in the next image.

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During the third of April many of the Sanderlings still remained mostly gray above and looked to be in winter plumage. This bird was on Clatsop Beach 23 April 2016.

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/photos/13535-sanderling-12-may-2016-heres-another-sanderling-also-photographed-on-clatsop-beach-on-12-may-2/details
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Here's another Sanderling, also photographed on Clatsop Beach on 12 May 2016. It has essentially completed its molt and is fully in alternate plumage.

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Within about three weeks time many of the Sanderlings had gone through a major change in appearance, having attained nearly fully alternate plumage. This bird was on Clatsop Beach 12 May 2016.

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/photos/13533-red-knot-plumage-variation-during-spring-migration-heres-another-group-of-red-knots%E2%80%93on-clats/details
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Here's another group of Red Knots–on Clatsop Beach 12 May 2016–showing a fair amount of individual variation. The front bird in this image still shows mostly winter plumage feathers on its upper parts, but has already acquired quite a bit of red feathering below. The two righhand birds have already replaced nearly all of their basic feathers above with fresh alternate feathers. Photo taken on Clatsop Beach 12 May 2016.

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/photos/13531-spring-migrant-red-knot-still-in-winter-like-plumage-the-first-prealternate-molt-for-some-shor/details
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The first prealternate molt for some shorebird species results in a plumage that looks mostly like winter plumage with virtually none of the color or pattern displayed by breeding adults. This individual, photographed on Clatsop Beach 12 May, was presumed to be a first-spring bird that will not breed this year. Some aspects of its plumage are much like those of a juvenle (hatch-year) bird.

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/photos/13530-mixed-flock-of-spring-migrant-shorebirds-heres-a-mixed-flock-that-includes-a-number-of-the-mos/details
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Here's a mixed flock that includes a number of the most expected migrants one can find during spring migration on Oregon's beaches. This group includes Red Knots, Dunlin, Sanderlings and a Ruddy Turnstone. Missing from this group is Western Sandpiper, the most abundant migrant shorebird along the Pacific Coast.

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/photos/13528-molting-dunlin-during-april-many-of-the-northbound-dunlin-along-oregons-coast-have-barely-star/details
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During April, many of the northbound Dunlin along Oregon's coast have barely started to acquire their alternate or breeding plumage. This bird, photographed on Clatsop Beach 23 April 2016, has barely started to get rufous feathers above and black on the underparts.

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/photos/13525-red-necked-phalarope-this-red-necked-phalarope-appears-to-be-an-adult-female-still-transitioni/details
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This Red-necked Phalarope appears to be an adult female still transitioning into full alternate plumage. It was at the South Jetty ponds near the mouth of the Columbia River on 12 May 2016.